[Trancecommunity]

Hi Folks
 
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and a Laptop in need of a sound card.
 
I never had a DAC like a Fiio and have no clue of what to look out for.
 
Id just like if i could plug a USB cable between the S3 and Fiio and have better sound. Id also like the same for the Laptop.
 
Soundcard i have at the moment is apparently good with 5.1 output but terrible with 2.0. Id like the Fiio to replace the 2.0. 
 
Whats the difference? Is it worth the extra for the E17? Is sound quality better or does it just have more functionality?
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[punks15]

I don't know if you can connect to S3, i've no experience with it. Yes the E17 is better sounding than E7

 

[Stoney]

I've found the E7 reliable as an external for my MacBook Pro.  The built-in is full of RF noise.  The E7 is a better quality product it seems than E17, in terms of failures or design issues.  But the E17 is said to sound better when all is working.  I find the E7 to sound a bit bright (just a bit) but brings out all sorts of detail.  My wife is judgmental and loved it.  I used it with an iPhone 4s analog out.  No RF pickup from the phone.  I have since switched my portable use to the more "musical" and less "detail-focused" Headstage Arrow but that is pure analog and 4 times the price.  I've kept the E7 for my MacBook Pro. 
 
Not sure how to couple it to a Galaxy....
 
UPDATE: I have checked recent reviews at Amazon for the E7, and it seems to have many quality complaints.  It is possible that production is not as high-quality as before.  Be warned.  

 

[vinnlandia]

I realize this is late, but for the next person who comes searching for this answer:
 
You can in fact plug a Fiio E7 into a Galaxy S3. You need a USB OTG host cable. I picked one up for $0.99 shipped from China, FWIW.
 
No settings to change, nothing to click, it just works. The very first time I started playing music, it was playing back way too fast. I powercycled the E7 and all has been fine since. 

 

[Trancecommunity]

Better late than never.
 
And whats the difference in quality like? Is it much of an upgrade to the S3?

 

[Stoney]

I upgraded from E7 to E17, and the sonic improvement is noticeable, even necessary for me as I was getting to know the limitations of the E7 too well.  Flat (not fleshed out), subliminally a tad harsh (noticeable on my PFE 232 which have a bit of grain themselves), and bright in a way that I could not ameliorate fully with, say, iTunes EQ (due to the lack of liveliness and dimensionality of instruments).  Detail is plentiful but a bit artificial, like a monitoring system but not like an audiophile system for long-term enjoyment.  
 
The E17 is "not head and shoulders" above as someone wrote, but definitely shoulders.    Well worth it.  
 
I also sense a cleaner sound when using pure optical input with no charging (operate of battery).  When I use USB input, I suspect some RFI comes in from the MacBook Pro and intermodulates such that the treble is a bit hashy.  Small but there, more easily heard after spoiling myself on the optical connection for awhile.  It affects the rest of the audioband I believe, just that the lower treble is most detectible to me.  
 
My reference for comparison is my iPad 3 with Arrow 4G.  The iPad lacks the deeper bass, but has good imaging and a graceful sound overall.  The Arrow is not bright, and gives "dimensionality" and proper perspective among treble details, harmonics, dynamics -- a sense of realism hard to describe, but "head and shoulders" above the E17 even.... Still, the E17 is enjoyable, particularly if you have your "detail-seeking ears" on.  

 

[Stoney]

Question, is there yet a line out dock for the E17?  The one for the E7 is said, on the website, not to fit.  I'd like to test the DAC of the E17 alone with the same Arrow amp. 
 
Or... maybe I'll just test the amp without the DAC to size it up.  

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Question, is there yet a line out dock for the E17?  The one for the E7 is said, on the website, not to fit.  I'd like to test the DAC of the E17 alone with the same Arrow amp. 
 
Or... maybe I'll just test the amp without the DAC to size it up.  

 
I used L7 on E17 before and it works.

 

[Trancecommunity]

Thanks
 
And what about the difference in sound quality between plugging straight into the Samsung S3 and using the E7 through the S3?